Human rights lawyer Mohamed Ramadan confirmed on Thursday the arrest of Abdullah Mohamed, spokesperson for the residents of Toson in eastern Alexandria. The arrest comes amid local opposition to the planned route of a new ring road, which requires the displacement of many families from their homes.
Ramadan told Al Manassa that plainclothes security officers detained Abdullah Mohamed around noon Thursday at his workplace in the Borg El Arab branch of the German company Bavaria. He added that Mohamed’s location and the charges against him remain unknown.
According to Ramadan, security forces had already raided Mohamed’s home multiple times in the past week in failed attempts to arrest him.
In April, the Alexandria governor formed a committee to assess the impact on properties along the 23-kilometer highway planned under Egypt’s East Alexandria development project. The committee is led by the Montaza second district chief and includes officials from several bodies, among them the military engineering authority.
On Sept. 2, Toson residents held a public meeting with several lawyers to discuss legal strategies for preventing their forced removal. Afterward, posters appeared on homes declaring residents’ intent to remain. These posters were removed the following day by men in civilian clothing.
Ramadan previously told Al Manassa that the community was taken by surprise when an expropriation order targeted 260 homes, four mosques, and one church within a single block, an area housing more than 5,000 people. He emphasized that canceling the order is the only viable solution and confirmed that the defense team, made up of five lawyers, intends to file an appeal.
Residents did not stand idly by. They hired an engineering consultancy that identified an alternative route avoiding the demolition of houses. Complaints have been filed through the online portals of the presidency, the prime minister’s office, the transport ministry, and the governor of Alexandria. The community also awaits a direct meeting with the governor to present the proposed alternative.
Ramadan added that some residents joined a defense team member in a meeting with Transport and Industry Minister Kamel Al‑Wazir, who pledged to raise the issue with the governor.
The defense team continues to meet regularly with residents to update them on developments and explore all lawful options. Ramadan also recalled a 2008 case in which a demolition order to build a tourist resort was overturned on appeal.
Posters in the streets of Toson reject plans to evict them from their homes, Sept. 2, 2025.Documents reviewed by Al Manassa show the project is being carried out in three phases: from the Military Police crossing to Bridge 25 through Ezbet El-Koubaniya; from the Maritime Academy to military-owned land; and finally through the residential cluster near the 25 crossing.
Residents emphasize that their homes are legally connected to utilities—electricity, natural gas, water, landline phones, and sewage. Most have formal building reconciliation permits.
One resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told Al Manassa that their houses were built through years of personal labor and sacrifice. With an average value of about 4 million Egyptian pounds. “No compensation could adequately replace our material and social investment.”
